Hilda and thoughts on Season 1 of The Muppet Show

[mupcollector1]

What does everyone think of Hilda? The German woredrobe lady who was only in the first season of The Muppet Show (and silent cameos in The Muppet Movies and specials)?

I personally never liked Hilda. It's hard to say that are Muppets I don't like because I love a whole bunch of them but there's several that kind of get on my nerves (Pepe (without Semore), current Elmo, Rosita, Zoe, Abby Kadaby (shivers) But that's mostly it.). The reason why I don't like Hilda was I always found her to be very bitter, negitive, grumpy, and kind of mean to Gonzo and Fozzie especially and being not so encouraging to the other characters.
Though I think the only moment I ever liked her in was when she was giving herself a make over and her dress buttons pop off. lol I always felt bad for Gonzo when he had to take her negativity about his acts and art.

The Muppeteer's name was Erin Ozen? There was her and another Muppeteer John Kennedy was it? They were only on season 1 and John left to do his own show and didn't Erin pass away sortly after? Refresh my history memory. lol

I've rarely heard them perform any other project, but just a wild guess, did John perform on The Great Santa Claus Switch? I remember hearing some voices I didn't recognize from the main Muppeteers.

 

[charlietheowl]

I didn't have a problem with Hilda. I thought she was mostly there to give the first season of the show some "human' characters to balance out the monsters. George, Mildred, Hilda, Wayne, Wanda, all those characters were like regular people and they were all dropped after the first season, because I guess the staff realized they didn't need them.

I thought Mildred was funny in the "At The Dance" segments.

 

[D'Snowth]

It's not John Kennedy you're thinking of (though he is a Muppeteer), it was John Lovelady who was a part of TMS during Season One (and a number of pre-TMS projects, including being one of the right-handers for Ernie on SST), but there's never been a confirmation as to exactly why he parted ways with the Muppets, but one speculation is that he was displeased that Jim felt he was better suited as a puppet/puppeteer coordinator as opposed to a performer... he's gone on to work with other puppet troupes, including producing and performing on Kermit Love and Jim Martin's syndicated show The Great Space Coaster, and he also worked on Sid & Marty Kroffts' D.C. Follies as a performer and builder.

As for Hilda, I didn't really mind her so much, I don't remember her being THAT negative of a character... maybe just a little wishy-washy... and you have to have SOME characters who have to put up with rather than participate in all the Muppets' antics, that does create SOME sort of a dynamic there; same can be said with George the Janitor.

 

[Mo Frackle]

I didn't mind Hilda. I think she was based on somebody who worked on The Muppet Show (don't know her name, but she appears in that season 1 wrap tape). As for Eren Ozker, she didn't pass on until 1993. Don't know why she left after only the first season, though. She may have been an extra puppeteer during the finale for "The Muppet Movie". And yes, John Lovelady was in "The Great Santa Claus Switch", as were Danny Seagren and a few others that didn't work on the Muppet Show.

 

[Bliffenstimmers]

She wasn't so bad to me. A little bland, sure, but still entertaining.

... what IS the banana sketch anyway?
All I can hear of it is "One banana says to the other..."

 

[Mo Frackle]

Sure, I think a lot of the characters were sort of bland during the first season. Development still needed to be done. If Hilda had stayed on, it's likely she would have become a more interesting character.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I feel like Hilda and George were sort of cliche show biz caricatures and weren't really going to fit in with what the Muppets eventually became on the show.

 

[Duke Remington]

As for Eren Ozker, she didn't pass on until 1993. Don't know why she left after only the first season, though.

She left the show after Season 1 because she wanted to return to America (the show was taped in England, after all), get married and start a family.

 

[mupcollector1]

Speaking of George The Janitor I liked him. That was Frank right? lol

I just love the "At The Dance" spots where George is looking down and jumping up and down really fast while Mildred was trying to dance. lol Whatever that was about lol And how George had his moments where he would have some bad pun and laugh and either Mildred said "Oh Shut Up!" or someone would punch him in the face or something.

Was he only on season 1? I just remembered, he was singing with Strangepork head to head with Peter Sellers. lol

I liked George, I thought he was funny. Hmm, which one does he love more...Mildred or his Mop? lol

He returned on The Muppet Christmas Carol but what was weird is that even though he was still performed by Frank, Frank gave him a new voice. I always found that weird.

And didn't he come back on Muppets Tonight a few times? lol

I love to see him come back, perhaps Eric Jacobson could perform him. He mastered all of Frank's characters so far. I'm still amazed with that guy. lol

Yeah Wayne and Wanda always cracked me up, strangely Sam always have them second chances then Kermit finally fired them. lol

It was awesome to see them in the new movie. Though I would have liked them to do some show tune and ruin it again. lol

"When you meet some guy who knocked you on your heels" (SMACK) lol

 

[Mo Frackle]

George loves his mop. There's no question about that!

Yeah, the puppet was still used after season one, but the character itselt had been dropped.

As for Muppet Christmas Carol, Frank probably did a voice during prerecording before actually seeing the puppet, so he probably didn't know it was going to be George.